System and method for mapping end user identifiers to access device identifiers
First Claim
1. A method of transmitting messages comprising:
- connecting an end user access device between each of a plurality of end user devices and a network media provider, each of the end user access devices having an identifier;
intercepting messages received from an end user for transmission to the network media provider;
identifying an address resolution message;
setting control bits for all identified messages;
intercepting messages in which control bits are set; and
extracting and storing an association of the end user device identifier and the end user access device identifier from the intercepted messages.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Hybrid fiber/coax networks employ the existing cable plant used for cable TV and transmit data signals in a frequency bandwidth above that which is used for cable TV. As this cable plant was deployed in a tree and branch topology, data transmissions may be susceptible to noise, variable transmission loss and frequency dispersion, particularly in the upstream direction. Further, due to the tree and branch topology, homes at the far end of the network experience much greater loss than do the homes that are near to the headend/ONU. The present system, which uses point-to-point data links between intelligent network elements located in the feeder/distribution network to provide reliable, secure, bi-directional broadband access. Digital signals, or messages, are terminated at the intelligent network elements, switched and regenerated for transmission across additional upstream or downstream data links as needed to connect a home to a headend or router. Messages indicative of an end user routing ID (RID) are identified and the information extracted for user with successive messages. In this manner, the data links are made over relatively short runs of coax cable, which can provide greater bandwidth than the typical end-to-end feeder/distribution connection between a home and the headend or optical network unit.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method of transmitting messages comprising:
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connecting an end user access device between each of a plurality of end user devices and a network media provider, each of the end user access devices having an identifier;
intercepting messages received from an end user for transmission to the network media provider;
identifying an address resolution message;
setting control bits for all identified messages;
intercepting messages in which control bits are set; and
extracting and storing an association of the end user device identifier and the end user access device identifier from the intercepted messages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for learning and maintaining a mapping between an end user identifier and an end user access device identifier in an access network comprising:
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at least one network media provider operable for message transmission between the network media provider and a plurality of end user devices;
an end user access device connected between each of the end user devices and the network media provider, the end user access device adapted to be connected to a plurality of end user devices, each of the end user access devices having an identifier;
an input port at the end user access device operable to intercept messages received from the end user via the end user device for transmission to the network media provider;
a processor at the end user access device and operable to identify messages which are address resolution messages, the processor further operable to set control bits in a pre-determined fashion for the identified messages; and
a mapping data base adapted to store an association of the end user device to the end user access device, the network media provider operable to intercept the messages with the pre-determined control bit setting, and further operable to extract and store, in the mapping database, the association of the end user device identifier and the end user access device identifier from the intercepted messages. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium having computer program code for transmitting messages comprising:
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computer program code for recognizing a connection between an end user access device between each of a plurality of end user devices and a network media provider, each of the end user access devices having an identifier;
computer program code for intercepting messages received from an end user for transmission to the network media provider;
computer program code for identifying an address resolution message;
computer program code for setting control bits for all identified messages;
computer program code for intercepting messages in which control bits are set; and
computer program code for extracting and storing an association of the end user device identifier and the end user access device identifier from the intercepted messages.
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34. A system for learning and maintaining a mapping between an end user identifier and an end user access device identifier in an access network comprising:
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means for providing a network media provider operable for message transmission between the network media provider and a plurality of end user devices;
means for recognizing a connection between an end user access device between each of the end user devices and the network media provider, the end user access device adapted to be connected to a plurality of end user devices, each of the end user access devices having an identifier;
means for intercepting, at the end user access device, messages received from the end user for transmission to the network media provider;
means for identifying, at the end user access device, messages which are address resolution messages;
means for setting control bits in a pre-determined fashion for the identified messages;
means for intercepting at the network media provider messages with the pre-determined control bit setting; and
means for extracting and storing at the network media provider, the association of the end user device identifier and the end user access device identifier from the intercepted messages.
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35. A method of learning and maintaining a mapping between an end user identifier and an end user access device identifier in an access network comprising:
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providing a network media provider operable for message transmission between the network media provider and a plurality of end user devices;
connecting an end user access device between each of the end user devices and the network media provider, the end user access device adapted to be connected to a plurality of end user devices, each of the end user access devices having an identifier;
intercepting, at the end user access device, messages received from the end user for transmission to the network media provider;
identifying, at the end user access device, messages which are address resolution messages;
setting control bits in a pre-determined fashion for the identified messages;
intercepting, at the network media provider, messages with the pre-determined control bit setting; and
extracting and storing, at the network media provider, the association of the end user device identifier and the end user access device identifier from the intercepted messages.
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Specification